Sally Murphy (1)

I did not know this is Australian when I picked it up at a library discard sale while on a road trip (or, for that matter, when I was done; I only learned that from another review). I have no idea why it was discarded, and why it's not at the libraries from which I could borrow it.

The appeal is universal, across geography and, imo, across age groups. Such a lovely exploration of starting to grow up and learning about grief. Pearl is an individual, first, a charming little girl who show more nonetheless behaves authentically. But she's also representative of everyone, as her teacher finally realizes at the end.

I also very much admire the B&W illustrations. They look simple, but they are certainly not cartoony and have more going on than is seen at first glance. I will save this to reread before letting it go, and I will look for more by both author & artist. show less

Publisher's blurb :Amy is staying in Marysville with her grandmother, and help in the garden and clean out her gutters. It is, after all, bushfire season. As summer arrives, so do the fires, and Dad is busy helping control the flames in bushfires that have started burning in Victoria. But it is early February 2009, and the Black Saturday bushfire is about to encircle Amy and her family, and teach Amy first-hand about tragedy and survival.

My review : An interesting one because the reader show more actually knows what is going to happen before the main character Amy does and the frantic problems that confronted the people of Marysville on that terrible day are clearly illustrated. I like how Sally has thrown in a touch of romance to lighten up the drama as otherwise the whole book would have been too intense. Spoiler alert: the grandmother becomes catatonic when she realise they have left it too late to leave and Amy has to slap her across the face to make the grandmother drive to the oval ( the only safe place in the burning town). I'm not sure whether in real life this would have worked with someone in shock.

Suitable for Years 7- 10 show less

John's favorite thing in the whole world is toppling dominoes - his next favorite thing is his group of friends. When his best friend leaves their fifth grade classroom one day because he is sick, it is the start of trying to keep himself (and his friend) from toppling, because he's not just sick, he has cancer. As John comes to terms with his friend's illness and the changes it brings, he begins to change, too.

I loved that this was such a quick read. I don't know if young readers who show more didn't have a connection with this topic would appreciate it as much as those who do - but it would be just enough to let those readers know that they are not alone and the best thing you can do for a friend in need is just to be there and be you. The ending is a little corny, but in a kids book about cancer, what can you expect? show less

Pearl thinks in poetry, but not the kind her teacher Mrs. Bruff likes, with rhyme and rhythm. Pearl’s heart beats in melancholy free verse. She lives with her mother and bedridden, memory-impaired grandmother, a holy family of three. When her grandmother passes away, Pearl must face her sadness, and her teacher learns about the poet within. A moving, heartbreaking tale, the book nonetheless suffers in a few passages that apply adult-level vocabulary and awareness to an elementary-aged show more child. Illustrations in muted grey watercolors add to the quiet moodiness of Pearl’s world. Recommended. (24) show less